


Don't think there's Vore or Speeding in this but IDK You'll have to read an Find Out

by Anonymous



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: M/M, There's some Background Casphardt too But Who knows
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2019-08-05
Packaged: 2020-08-10 03:08:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20128363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: I really don't think there is, especially because I'm the Author, but you can all Double Check!





	Don't think there's Vore or Speeding in this but IDK You'll have to read an Find Out

**Author's Note:**

> Only have Gone through Beagles, so Sowwy if Anyone is OOC

Years have always been an ambiguous time frame at best. They either tend to breeze right on by, or drag themselves slowly on whatever it is that they saunter along on. But five years of war, five years of marring the grounds of Foldan with bloodshed certainly felt like an eternity, be you a knight in the mainlines, or a commoner, whose village would just become another casualty any day now.

Yet somehow, it all did end, under the flag of the Leicester Alliance. The news of any sort of piece for Foldan spread across the continent rapidly, ushering in relief and joy. Not unanimously, with a few voicing their concern for this new future here and there, because the hard part of ruling the world was knowing what to do with it afterwards. 

  
But talk of the afterwards would come when it came. For now, most who worked tirelessly for the Leicester Alliance’s ends were finally free to talk over their plans for what would come next for them, as Claude was the leader who insisted that he treat all who served his goals to a banquet at minimum. (“Teach, I do propose that we should have a feast where we met, eh? Think of it as a little thanks for earning us our peace.”)

Not as if the high energies were for everyone’s taste. Ignatz, at least, could only take so much of it before he felt he needed some form of reprive from it all. Which actually meant he was milling around the doors of the main festivity area, before catching Linhardt excusing himself to eat somewhere more quiet. Though he was considered odd by all and liked by few --a group Ignatz was a part of, as if only born from an inspiration from him, his free spirit and little care for how others saw him was one that Ignatz admired--, having some company was better than none.

It was agreeably on the impossible side to find anywhere in the monastery that was unpopulated, but they opted for the old Black Eagle classroom, having someplace to set whatever they were carrying down for a moment.

“Linhardt,” Ignatz decides to ask, acutely aware he’s about to dampen the mood, “Considering your father is, well, gone, you’re... not going to have any place to go, are you?”

Surprisingly, that statement is met with more indifference than any flavor of bitterness. “I wouldn’t be too sorry for him if I were you,” Lindhardt says, ”Think of it like this, if the world was to burn, then he wouldn’t burn with it. Rather, he would ally himself with whoever starts it, attempting to keep himself out of the flames.”  _ And that was just a gamble that hadn’t paid off _ , is what Ignatz decides he would add.

“In any case,” He adds, after taking another sip of his wine, before the glass is set down. “Caspar’s bound to get himself into trouble that he can’t get out of someday, considering how hotheaded he is. Might as well be my job to help him when that happens if I’ve nothing better to do.” 

So he calls it a job, and nothing better to do, but his eyes are soft, and his lips are upturned into a rare smile of his. As much as Ignatz is hardly one to pry into matters that aren’t his, there’s no way on the goddesses given earth would Linhardt ever consider that a job, or work, or any breed of drudgery that he would otherwise attempt to weasel out of than subject himself to.

“Perhaps I’ll even be able to continue my Crest research along the way,” An addition that subjectively, comes a beat too late.

“So, what about yourself? What plans after all of this?”

“M, me?” He wasn’t exactly prepared for such a question, and quickly decided that his tea was much easier to look at than Linhardt at the moment.

“I’ll... decide that when I get back home.”

Though the topic was dropped, and the two searched for conversation topics elsewhere until Linhardt became bored with talking, and most certainly went off somewhere to try sleeping, that had certainly tied a knot of anxiety in Ignatzs’ stomach.

Time had ascertained one fact to him: he wasn’t cut out for this whole knight business, no matter how much training he went through, or his experience with the blade. Handy and useful were the arts of self defense and swordplay, but brush and paint was a far more palatable combination for his hands.

N,not to say that being a knight was his only option, of course! You can easily train others in the art of swordplay, because there are some things experience shouldn’t teach you, and, well, anyone can draw. It’s a hobby, and some people even say that your hobbies aren’t meant to fill your stomach, or keep you warm! There’s still time to think up options, perhaps even some that won’t spill blood!

Morning comes, and still Ignatz lacks any starting plan for his future that would sate him. Aside from traveling back to his hometown with Raphael, which, even if by the time he’s at his house, without any plans to go forward with, he’ll have that at least. Sure, they worked together as knights for hire with each other before rejoining the war efforts, which has given them time to rekindle their friendship, but it always feels so… off, when they’re away for so long these days.

“So!” Raphael says after a fair bit of traveling, because staying silent is only possible for so long for him, “What do you plan to make your artistic debut, Ignatz?”

“Uwa-- I, uh--!” It catches him completely off guard, he almost trips, trying to focus on sputtering out anything that resembles a syllable, until he’s at least able to compose his legs at least. 

“I, er, I know we talked about that, but I… I’m sure my parents have responsibilities for me. Or, something may have happened to my brother, and I might have to take over,” It’s one thing, when you dream over being abel to live out your dreams, but making them a reality? Definitely crossing a border that shouldn’t be crossed-- it exists for a reason after all.

“Aw c’mon Ignatz! The war will be in everyone’s minds for years to come, and they’ll be remembering all the bad stuff about it. If there’s anyone who I think could capture how beautiful Foldan was and is despite it all, I know it’s you!” He says, and if his smile could beam any brighter, the sun would simply fizzle out in sheer embarrassment.

“You say that, but…!” He sighs, and he’s certain his expression is like a sad dog more than anything. “But what if my parents don’t want that for me? What if they don’t approve!” Much easier to resign your dreams and not argue against what you’re told to do. Plus, isn’t what you want not always what is right? Countless times he had been told to always listen to his parents and elders, and if they’re unsupportive of making his hobby his job, then there must be some reason for it.

“Well, who cares what your parents think? I know, you want to help support your family somehow,” He explains to Ignatz once more, “But you know how much happiness your art brings, heck, my little sis being happy with your art spurred your artistic journey. You’re especially happy when you’re making it!”

The most damning part of Raphael’s whole declaration is that he’s right about that no matter what, and if he had any bark in him to fight that, then, well. It would be misdirected at best. After a moment of silence, Raphael’s expression does, fortunately, change into a much more serious hue. “Hey, it’s at least worth a shot. If it goes badly with them, I’ll always have a place for you and your dreams, alright?” Raphael says, giving Ignatz a few pats on his back.

Somehow, when it’s Raphael telling him that his dreams are worth following, it’s something that he can believe.

Ignatz takes in a deep breath, and let’s it go after a moment, and somehow, he can bring himself to smile.

“Alright.”

At the very least, it’s enough to give him the courage to take his first step.

He has Raphael’s support, and that gives him certainty that he can do this.

Daresay, he could do anything with him by his side.

* * *

Getting hired once he had come to his hometown was much easier than he had expected. Well, not that he should have been surprised, considering he did help towards uniting Foldan under the banner of the Alliance, and that’s a great look for anyone. Though of course, his lord wasn’t one to skimp away from having his knight be exempt from work hours just because of your past, lest he was feeling rather generous.

Still! He was able to be more than happy, being able to provide for his family.

(For the most part, at least.)

Which, was generosity his lord was feeling, come his birthday. “I’m not so strict that I would dare think my knights shouldn’t celebrate holidays, personal or official,” he had told him, before Raphael had left for his home the night before.

And celebrate he would! Albeit not in an extravagant manner. Enjoy just a nice, casual time at home with his family for a change, something that would likely, be nothing too out of the ordinary, perhaps even cook up some meals for everyone, even if they did protest that they should be doing it, because there’s no reason the birthday man should be doing work on his birthday.

Though, come the afternoon, and some swift knocks at the front door,

“Raphael! Are you here?”

He could recognize that voice from anywhere, of his dearest friend; someone he never expected to hear from outside of his painterly expedites. (They’d been spreading far and wide as of late, so it was hard to not.) Second hand, it sounded to be far from the smoothest of conversations Ignatz has had in his life, his parents ultimately accepted his aspirations to become an artist. 

And honestly? Raphael couldn’t tell you the last time he’d seen Ignatz as happy as he was now, not counting the times he was invested in another painting of his. Apart they might be now, Raphael still would do everything for Ignatz happiness. 

“I though you’d be in the most stunning reaches of Foldan, you know!” He said, ushering him inside. “What are you doing all the way back here?!”

“And miss your birthday? I wouln’t dream of that!” He gives a laugh, before some unknown force reminds him to take a step back, “Er, I hope it’s not too rude of me to visit all unprompted like this?”

“Nah, you’re always welcome to see me whenever you like!”

  
Truth be told, just seeing Ignatz was a treat within itself, considering, for, well, what Raphael would just chalk up to simple reasons that will likely change with time. Still, obviously being one to worry far too much about the details, Ignatz of course felt an obligation to make something for Raphael at least. Art wasn’t a field of expertise (even if Ignatz would consult him here and there for what he thought a better step would be for any piece he was working on in the past), but he can clearly see the improvements between this, and the piece he had made while they were still at war, which Raphael wastes no time in letting him know about. 

Even if one was better than the other, they were both incredibly precious.

Ignatz did have to take his leave eventually, when the next morning came. “I would love to stay around longer, but I do have others who are expecting works from me,” He explains, as if there’s some need for one when there’s truthfully only so much you can draw when you’re in one place for some time. Rule number one of art Ignatz had taught Raphael: Stagnation of your mind and ideas is the enemy of art.

“Well, I know you’re enjoying yourself,” Raphael points out, “That’s more than enough for me!” Sort of.

“And you helped me with that!” Ignatz points out, “I just, feel I should do more for you, you know? I, certainly want to.”

Now, Raphael’s skills with understanding how others felt? Admittedly, terrible, unless it’s looking him so close in the face it’s dangerously close to biting him. Which, fortunately, it is; how painfully clear it is that Ignatz has something on his mind that he at least wants to try to say, but he’s holding it back for some reason. Not uncommon with him, at least, which at least makes Raphael more familiar with the specific kind of remedy for that, just a good ol’ dosage of--

“Something on your mind?” 

“Ah?” Ignatzs’ face heats up, somehow; clearly taken aback by that. ”N,No, not at all!” The awkwardness of his delivery outright betrays his words, and against Raphael’s better judgement, he decides against prying any further. “I’ll promise that I’ll come by next year as well!” Ignatz says, “Only if you’d like that, of course.”

Raphael gives a hearty laugh at that. “Of course, I love having you around!”

Amazingly, removing some choice words from that sentence still leaves it as true as ever.

“Feel free to mail me letters while you’re out as well!” He adds.

“I will!”

* * *

Towns being damaged by the war wasn’t an entirely uncommon sight to behold, but ones that were completely destroyed did tend to be a bit more uncommon. Or, so Ignatz thought so; smaller towns seemed to have commonly sustained all sorts of major damage from the fighting. Still residents in towns like the one he had just traveled through, still have high spirits towards, to which Ignatz doesn’t waste much time on sketching out a general composition for it, a bit out of the way before he walks off. Aim for the positive of it all instead of the negative, because if your work will affect others, it’s best for it to be positive. 

He manages to find himself a nice, quiet spot to sit down (a tree close to a river) to actually think over his approach for this piece.

A smidge of dark blue would look nice in the shading, sure, but if he’s going for the tone of something happier, then definitely, this would look its best with purely having dark orange and reds for shading; something he writes down accordingly. Ah, but if he wants to go with dark orange and reds for shading, then it would be more sensible to have yellow as lighting, right? Maybe he could get a bit experimental though, have the lighting instead b--

“You there!” A gravely, but ever lively voice halts his train of thought that’s a smidge familiar, and he turns towards the source of the sound. Unless, there’s someone else that followed Ignatz around, despite not hearing anyone following him. Rustic red armor, holding a spear, with sky blue hair... ah, that’s Caspar, isn’t it? “You’re planning to attack that town back there, aren’t you?!” Caspar shouts again.

“Er, Caspar if I was going to attack the town, don’t you think I would’ve done so?” Ignatz yells back to him.

“So, you’ve heard of the great, mighty Caspar huh?!” Oh god, he’s coming closer to him, he’s likely about to start a fight with him, a . “Wait…” Caspar does at least lower his weapon, and his voice quiets a bit. “I think I know you too? It’s, uh, Ignatz, right?”

“Y,yeah. I’m only here to paint, I promise.” He assures, and for a moment, he’s unsure if Caspar got his point throughout the silence of it all.

“Caspar,” Ah, a more welcome, more familiar voice chastises from nearby, somehow louder than Caspar was on his feet. ”Must you always run headfirst into endeavors before thinking them through?” A figure makes its appearance, clad mostly in teal clothes, adorned with gold trimming and dark blue accents as well.

“Ah, Linhardt! Sorry, I was, uh… y’know. Trying to keep peace and all that!” Caspar explains. Linhardt just gives him a fairly apathetic stare with a sigh, but hardly anything malicious. He believes him, doesn’t he.

The three agree to at least travel for a bit together, seeing as they’re both headed in the same direction for the time being, and hey, it certainly beats being alone! Though most of the conversation until they do find a place for the night just consists of Linhardt and Ignatz catching up, with interjections from Caspar that lead into completely unrelated conversations. Those moments do make him think to how Raphael always would ensure there was some space in the conversation for him, even if those times did involve putting him on the spot a bit uncomfortably.

“I’ll be on night duty, it does align with my sleep schedule more after all,” Linhardt said, the moment they had begun setting up camp, which Ignatz almost balked at, before remembering yes, that’s just how he is, and he had gone an eerily long time without attempting to nap, hadn’t he. “As for me, I’m in dire need of some rest. Doing absolutely nothing is quite tiring for me.”

Rather than trying to put up any protest against that, Caspar opts to planting a soft kiss to Linhardt’s forehead.“You get your rest then, Lin,”

And in that moment, Ignatz learned a fantastic life tip! If you see your acquaintances being intimate with each other, and your first thought is to want that with a friend of yours? You, in fact, do not see them as a friend!

Now, he’s separated by a good old wall of awkwardness. Invisible, but ever so tangible. Not that Caspar is a fellow who he would loathe being arond, but aside from Raphael’s few mentions about him here and there from awhile ago, and him being a great training partner, he knows nothing about him. But, Caspar can’t be too bad if he wears the Raphael stamp of approval on him? Even if he almost have a fight with him.

“Soooooo…” Caspar starts, in a hushed voice. “You and Linhardt buddies?”

“Buddies? I wouldn’t say so. Sure, we’ve talked a few times, but nothing that I think he wouldn’t put up with from others.”

“Meh, he’s spoken about you here and there,” Caspar says, coming over to sit next to Ignatz. “If he doesn’t care for someone, he doesn’t make it a point to remember their name. So hey, if my boyfriend is cool with you, I’m cool with you.” 

Speaking of boyfriends, and all sorts of significant others in general... He, uh, could ask him about that…?

“I, uh, don’t mean to pry into your personal business, but with you and Linhardt,“ Caspar has his full attention now, no backing down from this, ”How did you two get together?” Oh god he is already regretting asking this it is absolutely none of his concern or even his business what two of his friends are doing in their privacy, they have the decency, Ignatz, the decency to show kindness to you of all people--

“How that happened? Well, he kinda just kissed me one night when we were at an inn. Mean, it was pretty out of nowhere, but I’d be lying if I hadn’t thought about stuff like that with him before,” He explains, “So we both agree we’d try out the whole dating business for a bit, and hey! We’ve just kind of become a couple over time.”

“I see,” Not exactly the advice that he had been hoping for. Actually, it’s quite the opposite of what he was hoping for. Doesn’t help him whatsoever, but that sure would be nice and work out swell, wouldn’t it?

“So whose the lucky person?”

“Wh,what?!” If the risks of shouting didn’t equally press on his mind, then that would’ve come out much louder. Oh god, 

“I mean, you wouldn’t be asking if you weren’t interested in someone, would you? So, maybe I can help if you’d like.” A tempting offer… On one hand, Caspar does not seem like someone he would want relationship advice from; he’s brash and hot headed, never looks before he leaps, and his heart is louder than his brain.

But when’s the next time he would ever a chance to unload his feelings onto someone, and maybe have them be able to at least try to help? ...Okay, this will be fine, just keep it ambiguous. There exists a non zero chance that he would do his best to be a middle man and tell Raphael before him, and then Ignatz would never show his face around Raphael again.

“He’s, a great friend of mine,” Ignatz begins. ”Honestly a bit too great for me, far too kind for this whole country if I’m honest. I really do want to tell him how I feel, and I almost did, but I just…” He sighs. “I worry I’ll probably ruin that if I tell him how I feel.”

“Eh, I wouldn’t worry too much about that,” Caspar advises, giving a noncommittal shrug, “I mean, why would you date someone you’re not already friends with? I’m sure they’ll understand no matter how they feel if they’re your buddy!” 

Ignatz understands now, why Linhardt chose to show Caspar how he felt, rather than make any attempt with words.

“Nothing really changed between me and Linhardt,” Caspar continues, “I mean, aside from the fact we act all mushy together when we’re alone. At least, only he acts mushy when we’re alone.” (Of course he’s the type to want to show everyone how wonderful his boyfriend is.)

“Well, you did accept his proposal up front,” Ignatz points out. “I’m afraid I wont be as lucky as you two, you know?”

“Eh, either way, it’s never a good idea to think things will go the worst way possible! You can’t know how badly things will go if you don’t do it!”

As horrible as the wording of that is, there’s truth to that, isn’t there? They’ve disagreed on things in the past, but nothing that either of them would break friendships over. And thankfully, he also knows Raphael enough to know he’d be more frustrated over having a rift between his friends for something they could talk out. Maybe, then, telling him would be a good idea, in fact?

“I’ll be seeing him again, sooner than later,” Ignatz said. ”I, I will try my best to tell him then. Thank you, Caspar, for your advice.”

“Heh, don’t mention it. If you need any more help with it, then perhaps the great Caspar can--”

“I, uh,” He coughs into his hand, because there’s many ways how that could go badly, “Think I should handle it myself, actually.”

* * *

Ignatz does make good on his promise to return once again for Raphael’s birthday. 

Granted, he also had made it a point to sent letters here and there to him for holidays after Raphael had pitched the idea to him, all which he treasured (especially when they all had at least small doodles in the margins of him, with small paintings attached also being equally common, or something he figured would pique Raphael’s interest), but seeing him in person was a gift of its own, a part of that being because there wasn’t exactly an easy way for him to send letters back.

Still! That just meant he had to do most of the talking with catching up, and Ignatz was always invested with what he had to say, commenting over his adventures and misadventures alike, sometimes even offering completely different perspectives that he would’ve never considered. Definitely the closest he would have to being with him as of now. 

When the night comes, after the two of them made dinner for the rest of his family, Ignatz does ask him if they could go outside for a bit to talk over something, which Raphael is more than happy to do! Some conversations require the privacy of night, or a place away from the ever invasive senses of listening.

“It’s… about the last time I was here.” He begins.

Ohhh, that! “You had something you wanted to tell me back then, right? I could tell.”

Ignatz does laugh at that, for a change, rather than being mortified at the idea of someone sneaking a simple peak at his mental notebook. “Can’t hide anything from you, can I?” His expression changes to a much more serious hue once his laughter dies down, with an inhale and an exhale to seemingly brace himself.

“Raphael, you… you’re one of the most important people in the world. I don’t think I would have believed anyone else telling me my dreams were worth following. No matter what has happened between us, you have always been there for me, and I want to always be here for you,” He says. “I love you. And I always will.”

There’s a moment of silence between them, letting his statement sink into the air.

“It’s alright, if you don’t feel the s--” Nope. No way little man you are not going to finish that sentence, because guess what?

“Of course I feel the same! You’re always a high point in my days, and you being happy? It’s always been able to cheer me up, in one way or another!” Raphael then makes it a point to set Ignatz down. “Ignatz, I’d love to be your boyfriend, if you’re fine with that. Which I reckon it is!”

Ignatz’s face shines brighter than the sun. “Of course it is! I’ll be sure I visit you far more often as well!”

“Actually, we do actually have that one spare room in our house you know! We could make that your studio if you want?”

They spend a large chunk of time just talking over how they want their future to go from here. 

Just how things should be.


End file.
